Climate-Sensitive Building Renovation Strategies: A Review of Retrofit Interventions Across Climatic and Building Typologies

Konstantinos Alexakis (), Sophia Komninou, Panagiotis Kokkinakos and Dimitris Askounis
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Konstantinos Alexakis: Decision Support Systems Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Str., 15773 Athens, Greece
Sophia Komninou: Decision Support Systems Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Str., 15773 Athens, Greece
Panagiotis Kokkinakos: Decision Support Systems Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Str., 15773 Athens, Greece
Dimitris Askounis: Decision Support Systems Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Str., 15773 Athens, Greece

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-48

Abstract: Building renovation is widely recognised as a critical strategy for improving energy performance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and meeting decarbonisation targets. Although numerous studies have explored retrofit interventions, the existing literature tends to focus on either specific climates or particular building types, lacking a consolidated perspective that links interventions to both climatic context and typological characteristics. This study addresses this gap through a structured literature review of recent scientific publications, aiming to map and categorise climate-sensitive retrofit strategies across different building typologies. The methodological approach involves a qualitative synthesis of peer-reviewed studies, with interventions classified based on climate zone and building use. The results highlight the prevalence of envelope-related measures—such as thermal insulation and high-performance glazing—in residential and educational buildings, particularly in colder climates. Conversely, HVAC upgrades and passive solutions dominate in hot and mixed zones. The findings provide an evidence-based reference for stakeholders involved in designing renovation strategies, while also identifying the need for more context-aware, integrative frameworks that account for climate, building use, and socio-economic factors in retrofit decision-making.

Keywords: building renovation; climate-sensitive retrofit; building typology; energy efficiency; literature review; passive design strategies; retrofit decision-making; climate zones (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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